Burning Lightning into Wood: Lichtenberg Figures

46 thoughts on “Burning Lightning into Wood: Lichtenberg Figures”

1. You're making me late for work. I gotta go

2. Burn!

3. Shame we won't be seeing a kit to do this in the RI shop 🃏
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   Apparently someone took this as a serious suggestion so I am adding this to point out that this was meant as a humourous comment

   NOT MEANT AS A REAL SUGGESTION TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY !

4. Very interesting…  You do realise, however, that there are certain people who will be driven to try this no matter how many times you say "don't do this at home…".   Probably even more so, the more times you say it!

5. This is a very dangerous process. A gentleman a few blocks away from me electrocuted himself to death while making Lichtenberg Figures in his garage.

6. awesome thx. unscrewing my microwave right now, first huffing that sweet berrillium oxide tjan taking the parts to task (;

7. Is this somewhat similar to what happens when a person is hit by lightning? Because I've seen similar marks on lightning strike victims, the similarity is eerie.

8. Do not use a microwave transformer. Search for “bigclive lichtenberg” for the explanation why and what to use instead.

9. I remember making something similar to this (but nowhere near as dangerous lol) back in my 9th grade science class.

10. Insanely irresponsible putting this on to the internet despite all the warnings … ?

11. Whats the concentration of salt water?

12. If you dont want people doing it dont tell them where to get the parts. Make them figure it out themselves.

13. Great demonstration! The thing that drives the warning home to me is that in the 100+ RI videos I've watched that were filmed in the Faraday Lecture Theatre, I've rarely seen any empty seats, let along no audience at all. Which of course makes me want all the more to figure out how to do this safely;^)

14. Really appreciate when the reason for not doing X at home is explained, rather than just tempting the most reckless to attempt it.

15. Big Clive has a video showing you how to do this safely and without using the microwave oven transformer which has killed people.

16. Just like lightning woww

17. [Video Included Below]
    I have tried using microwave transformers, but they burn too deep into the wood. They’re great, if your making figures on a thick (2” or 50mm) plank of wood, for use as a coffee table, but not very good for things like thin plywood, which you would hang on a wall. For that, I use a flyback transformer, and a high frequency ZVS driver. The output is about 35,000 volts, but the current is kept very low, for depth control and safety. I also substitute the salt, with baking soda. Either one is fine, but I don’t like having salt crystals in my LF’s. I’m an EE, by profession, and design high power RF transmission equipment for linear accelerators. I’m very familiar with working around high voltage. PLEASE don’t try this, if you don’t have experience with high voltage. It’s fun, but it’s not worth your life.

    OK…. So here’s a video of me, making a Lichtenberg figure. This was one of my first, and I’ve refined my method since then. (I keep the wood wetter, I use better electrodes and slightly higher drive frequency.) The female voice is my wife, who is seeing it done, for the first time. I wish I had a more current video, but it’s the only one I have. My wife only took the video, so that she could show her friends the nerdy things that I do. 😂 Anyway… Enjoy!!! https://youtu.be/Zv3KbgIvCHk

18. Wundabaaaaar! Does it make difference if it is not full wood but just plywood? Anyway it is so interesting. More like this, please. 🙂

19. Electrizity…

20. Wow… Wonder if a F.A.R.T. neon sign driver would work? Much safer than a microwave transformer.

21. Plasma scars.

22. Good job

23. Omg how many times can you repeat don't try this at home and it will kill you in one video 🙁
    Yes, after a while WE GET IT! (and as an electrician I can tell it's also slightly dramatic, it's not so bad unless you're just incredibly stupid)

24. I have a question why are we here using that part from microwave? It is just because to increase the voltage

25. Impressive experimet
    Thanks for sharing 😀👍

26. √Thanks

27. Magnetrons in microweave ovens have not contained Beryllia for decades, just regular aluminia, as there is no need for the special properties of berylluim there, and the price is too high for it. However the magnetron still is dangerous because the aluminia can be hazardous as a powder. Plus the whole high voltage thing, and that it is a ground referenced high energy power source, and in general you do not get a second chance ever of having a shock, the first will be lethal. Same voltages and currents as the electric chair uses.

    However other magnetrons in special applications do contain beryllia, but there you will always have a warning label on the equipment, both inside and outside it. Same for any specialised equipment that needs the heat transfer and insulating qualities of beryllia.

28. Oh my, please tell me you wore proper eye protection for this experiment. Those electric arcs are extremely bright and can burn your eyesight.

29. Thank goodness I didn't see this video when I was 15. Mother's microwave would've been toast !

30. "It's potentially live..". ?

31. I theorize that the burning occurs as the salt water solution evaporates a spark gap is formed from the previously burnt wood. I cannot prove the spark gap is forming, but a high speed camera and a good welding filter ought to be able to see if that is occuring.
    My reasoning is an electric arc temperature is in the tens of thousands of degrees F (18K C) while resistive heating seems to top out in the mid thousands F (I don't currently have a source to back that up)
    Wood carbarizes around a thousand degrees F (900C), but I suspect with how quickly lichtenberg figures form that the lower temperature of resistive heating just wouldn't work quickly enough.

    I mostly work with imperial units, but I tried to make sure to include metric even though at such temperatures, and temperature difference, it feels like the distinction isn't really that important.
    I've been making lichtenberg figures of and on for nearly a decade and sell a few every now and then, I stand a few feet away and keep a fire extinguisher handy, although, seeing that footswitch I realize it'd be really handy as a deadman type switch.

32. Thank you guys for the tutorial, I will try this tomorrow

33. Would you please carry on this experiment in an inert condition, result could be changed!?

34. Can we say Tattoo？

35. I already have one from my shoulder, down my back and to my hip so no need to do it on wood

36. The next time I see a microwave out on the streets, I am a 100% sure to take it apart and do this. It's an invitation. Don't worry, I know what I'm doing 😉

37. So at the end you have a mains short? Presumably there's a fuse somewhere in the circuit?

38. If you do this with DC current does the would the wood burn from one end to the other instead of coming from both ends and meeting in the middle?

39. what if you have already done it at home lol

40. Too late, already did this at home.

41. if you like this basic example of fractal wood burning check out my page of advanced fractal wood art

42. Just saw the video. What do I do now? I have already tried this at home before I saw this? How do I reverse my decision to have tried this at home as I do not know if I am part the limited group of experts who can try this at home, or just a pleb? Being a scientist can be very confusing. 😜🤞

43. my first electrical exp , done in grade 6 involved 20k volts

44. Electric mycelium

45. Named after Georg Christof Lichtenberg (1742 – 1799) who discovered them. Now try and pronounce the name properly!

46. Age restricted? AGE RESTRICTED?! Out of all the videos on youtube this one is age restricted, and it is done by a proffesional, while all others are done by amatures whom barely know what is happening.

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